My blog ate my homework

My new blogging buddy, Wendy, has set me a challenging task! She very kindly – mistakenly? – awarded me the Bloody Brilliant Blogging Award AND the Versatile Blogger Award about two weeks ago. She wrote kind and complimentary things about me on her blog; the ‘citation’ made me blush.

Wendy is almost my twin. We were born in the same month and the same year as each other. And Princess Diana. Wendy lives in Canada, is a loving fiancée, daughter, sister, mother and grandmother, who loves to write (which she does beautifully, prolifically and with wonderful humour). She loves her family, gardening, eating out and music. She was one of the first “strangers” to visit my blog, and she and I now chat across the miles and the blogosphere every day. She is a kind and encouraging person. She has gathered so many caring people around her who clearly love her and her writing equally. Have a read of her blog, Herding Cats in Hammond River, and you’ll see what I mean.

On accepting the award, I accepted the challenge to write seven things about myself that I might not have mentioned before, and to pass on the award. I have also been tagged by Maura at 36×37 who has set me an equal task. More about Maura and the task coming to a blog near you. Soon.

I would like to pass on these awards from Wendy to a blogger whose work I love and admire: emily at in the hush of the moon. She describes herself as “..author, journalist, and artist …. more … and i am believer … – here, i seek grace in grunge of every day”. Her blog is beautiful, brilliant, her writing sublime. I know that this task won’t match the style of her blog, so I am passing on the awards to her, without the obligation. Have a look at her blog, you’ll be blessed and amazed.

Seven things I might not yet have mentioned about myself:

1. I went to six different schools. My father was a bank manager and was transferred from city to town to village around Zimbabwe and Zambia, while I was growing up. I started my schooling in Lusaka, Zambia, finished it in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and went to university in Cape Town, South Africa. I went to boarding school when I was nine.
2. I am the youngest of four. I have an older sister and two older brothers. I have never outgrown the “don’t forget about me” syndrome, and the desperate need to be taken seriously. I was once facilitating on a course, and arrived for the pre-course briefing about a minute after it had started. The course leader apologised and said she hadn’t noticed I wasn’t there yet. I said “It’s ok. I’m the youngest of four. No-one notices me.” I said it tongue-in-cheek, kind of, but it led to quite an interesting discussion around how our birth place can often determine our world view. I’d be interested to know your thoughts!
3. I never went to detention at school. Not once. I don’t even like driving over a solid white line.
4. I had my nose pierced about five years ago. My niece thought I was having a mid-life crisis. I thought I had a rush of blood to my head. But I’m pleased I had it done. I wear a tiny diamond stud, however I won’t ever do anything like that again. For those of you who’ve not been through such self-inflicted torture before, my nose felt like a tomato with a healthy, shiny red skin that popped as the needle penetrated. I can still hear the ‘pop’ sound, and it still makes my eyes water.
5. I was part of a singing group when I was in high school. The group was called Agape (love) and we used to write our own songs. Actually, Anne and Rachel were the talented ones who wrote the songs. The rest of us made coffee, made jokes, cheered them on and made sure they didn’t get distracted. And then we’d sing. We had a uniform of long, African-print kaftans. We thought we were really cool. Looking at the photos now … regrets? I’ve had a few. That uniform is one of them.
6. I once faked a finger injury to get out of doing lino-printing in my high school art class. I sat in the corner of the art room with a bandage on my hand for about four double periods in a row. I hated art classes. For me, they were hell. And my art teacher was the devil.
7. I’m mad about sports. I was a swimmer, in my day, and was a keen tennis and squash player. I only gym these days, but I love watching sport – tennis, rugby, soccer (football in UK language), and sometimes cricket and golf. I learnt to play golf when I was about ten (I haven’t played again since then) and told someone that I was a natural, and had a natural swing. I didn’t realise that that was not for me to say. Oh, and I laugh at my own jokes.

So, those are some things you might not have known about me. Are your lives richer for knowing these gems about me? Not so much, but at least I can tick this homework assignment off my list. I don’t want Wendy to send me to detention.

Sunshine signing off for today!